


Don't You (Forget About Me)

by JustSomeGirlll



Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - No Powers, Angst, F/F, Hopeful Ending, Sanvers - Freeform, SuperCorp, Teen Angst, The Breakfast Club Au, but I'm sure as heck gonna write this, did anyone ask for this?, it's nothing major but i thought i'd just give you a heads up anyway, no, there is also some drug use
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-17
Updated: 2019-04-23
Packaged: 2020-01-15 09:31:17
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 12,690
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18496177
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JustSomeGirlll/pseuds/JustSomeGirlll
Summary: It's Saturday morning, March 24, 1984, and five girls are forced to spend the day together in detention. They start their day thinking they share nothing with the people around them, but baring their souls and breaking school rules brings them closer. In the simplest terms and the most convenient definitions, they are a lost cause, an artist, an outcast, a prodigy, and a delinquent.AKA The Breakfast Club AU that exactly zero people asked for but wouldn't leave my head so now I'm writing it when I should be working on my other fics and assignments.





	1. Chapter One

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello folks!
> 
> So, if you've read the tags, then you know that this is a 'The Breakfast Club' AU. I would just like to say that I am in no way trying to plagiarise this work. 'The Breakfast Club' is a true masterpiece of the twentieth century and it truly does hold the test of time, and I don't think the story I write here can ever live up to the masterpiece that John Hughes created. I simply enjoy this film and the themes that are so strongly portrayed in it, so I thought I'd do my own little spin on the film, and with any luck, capture some of the magic that makes this film so iconic.
> 
> Whew, now that that little bit is out of the way, I just want to explain what I've actually done here. So, I have taken the scenario (five teenagers in Saturday detention), but I've changed the personality and circumstances of the characters from the film to better match the characters that I'm writing for. I'm sure you'll understand what I mean when you read it.
> 
> Anyway, that's enough from me for now. I do hope you like what I've done here, and if you haven't seen 'The Breakfast Club' then I highly recommend it, especially if you're in high school. It seriously is a movie that will never not be relatable.
> 
> Happy reading :)

 

* * *

 

SATURDAY, MARCH 24, 1984  
MIDVALE HIGH SCHOOL  
MIDVALE, WA  
98631

 

_Dear Mr. Edge,_

 

_We accept the fact that we had to sacrifice a whole Saturday in detention for whatever it was that we did wrong; what we did was wrong. But we think you’re crazy to make us write an essay telling you who we think we are, what do you care? You see us as you want to see us: in the simplest terms and the most convenient definitions. You see us as a lost cause, an artist, an outcast, a prodigy, and a delinquent. Correct? That’s the way we saw each other at seven o’clock this morning. We were brainwashed…_

 

* * *

 

The sun doesn’t rise above the small beachside town of Midvale. The grey clouds hang low in the sky, the fog still lingers along the coast, and the early morning frost remains on the grass. The front grounds of the school are empty, and the surrounding streets are silent. No one is out, well, almost no one.

 

Two students – sisters – walk along the sidewalk and approach the school’s main entrance. They have their heads down and their hands in their pockets to avoid the chill that’s in the morning air. They don’t look at one another nor do they attempt to break the silence that is around them. They both know that this will be the extent of their relationship – walking along a sidewalk in silence.

 

Not far behind the pair, a red sedan pulls up to the curb, a middle-aged woman behind the wheel and a teenaged girl in the passenger seat.

 

“Is this the first time or that last time you do this?” the driver asks.

 

“The last,” the passenger says. She looks out the window and up at the school where she will spend the next nine hours of her day.

 

“Good. Now get in there and don’t let this happen again.”

 

The girl climbs out of the car without responding. She opens the back door before her mother has a chance to drive off. She peers inside and grabs her bag, pulling it onto her back before reaching over and gently stroking her sleeping daughter’s cheek.

 

“I’ll see you later, sweetie,” she says to her daughter, pressing a gentle kiss to her forehead and carefully closing the door. She stands on the sidewalk and watches as the car drives off, and when she can no longer see the car’s tail lights, she readies herself for the day ahead of her.

 

Another car drives through the drop off lane, slamming on the brakes and stopping suddenly to accommodate the teenaged girl walking across the road. The girl doesn’t flinch, nor does she cast a glance at the car that almost hit her. She continues walking towards the school with her head high and her hands in her pockets, a pair of black sunglasses on her face.

 

The car pulls up to the curb when the girl is off the road. The back door opens and a girl with dark hair and a heavy black coat around her body climbs out and pushes the door shut. The car idles for a moment, and the girl starts to take a step towards the passenger window, but the car drives off before she has a chance to do anything.

 

She watches the car for a second before she too leaves and walks towards the school’s doors. The street is again silent; it is empty.

 

* * *

 

Libraries are a place for learning and enrichment, but the library at Midvale High School is anything but that. The grey tones of the room and cheap, beech wood furniture that fills the space drain any feeling of prosperity, and the lack of windows make it feel more like a prison than a library for high school students.

 

The two sisters are the first to walk in, the younger of the two trailing slightly behind and dragging her feet along the carpet. They sit at the first row of desks, a space between them. Still, they remain silent, not even sparing each other a glance.

 

The girl with the daughter is the next to walk in. She’s quick to drop into a seat in the middle row of desks, diagonal from the two sisters. She pushes her bag onto the chair beside her and pulls her own chair in so her forearms rest on the table’s surface. She fiddles with her fingers and bounces her knee; already anxious about leaving her daughter for the day.

 

Another girl walks in then, flicking pencils and pamphlets off the checkout desk. She pushes the phone off the receiver and pockets a small notepad before pushing her sunglasses up to rest on top of her head. She walks to the middle row, sitting behind the two sisters and to the right of the girl with the daughter. She pulls out two chairs, dropping into one and putting her feet up on the other.

 

The dark-haired girl with the heavy black coat is the last to walk in. She walks around the rows of desks and makes her way to the third row of desks and drops into the chair farthest away. She angles herself so she’s facing away and fiddles with the strap of her bag.

 

The Principal, Morgan Edge, walks into the library then, a stack of papers in one hand and several pencils in the other.

 

“Well, well. Here we are!” Edge says, his lack of respect for the students obvious in his tone and the way he looks at them. He looks at each of them, a small smirk on his face. “I want to congratulate you for being on time.”

 

“Excuse me, sir?” One of the sisters – Alex – raises her hand in question. “I think there’s been a mistake. I know it’s detention, but… um… I don’t belong here.”

 

Edge ignores her and continues speaking. “It is now seven-oh-six,” he says, simultaneously checking his watch. “You have exactly eight hours and fifty-four minutes to think about why you’re here. To ponder the error of your ways.” He looks to each student in turn.

 

The girl with her feet up on a chair – Maggie – rolls her eyes and throws her head back to stare up at the ceiling, finding more enjoyment from the suspended ceiling than Edge’s speech.

 

“You may not talk. You will not move from these seats,” Edge says as he walks between the three rows of tables. He stops beside Maggie. “And you,” he pulls the chair from under her feet, “will not sleep. Alright people,” he turns away and addresses the other students. “We’re going to try something a little different today. We’re going to write an essay – of no less than a thousand words – describing to me, who you think you are,” he says as he places a sheet of paper and pencil in front of each girl.

 

“Is this a test?” Maggie says, but Edge ignores her question and continues to speak.

 

“And when I say essay, I mean _essay_. I do not mean a single word repeated a thousand times. Is that clear, Miss Sawyer?”

 

“Crys-tal,” Maggie says.

 

“Good. Maybe you’ll even learn a little something about yourself.” He gives her a fake smile. “My office,” he points behind him, “is right across the hall. Any monkey business is ill-advised. Any questions? No? Good.” He leaves the library and walks across the hall to his own office.

 

* * *

 

With their principal in his own office, the girls are alone in the library. They adjust themselves in their chairs in an attempt to find some kind of comfort from the uncomfortable and cheap furniture.

 

The sound of a pencil moving in quick succession against paper draws the attention of Alex. She looks behind her to the source of the noise, and then, one-by-one, her sister – Kara – Maggie and the girl with the daughter – Sam – all turn around. They watch as the girl at the back writes across her paper. The other four girls all look at her in confusion, and whether or not she could feel four sets of eyes on her or not, the girl stops her writing and looks up.

 

“I’ve seen you before,” Maggie says, “Lena, right?”

 

Lena doesn’t answer. She looks away from everyone and resumes her writing across the piece of paper, the others slowly turning away. 

 

“So, what’s the deal with you two?” Maggie says, referring to Kara and Alex. “You’re sisters but you don’t act like it. Why is that?”

 

Kara and Alex don’t answer.

 

“Did ya’ have a fight?” Maggie says, tauntingly. “Steal each other’s clothes?” A beat of silence passes. “Is it boy drama?” Another beat of silence. “No, that can’t be it, now can it,” Maggie smirks and tilts her head, her focus now on Alex.

 

Alex goes tense and Kara snaps her head around to glare at Maggie.

 

“Look, just because you live in here, doesn’t give you the right to be a pain in the ass.”

 

“She’s just trying to get a rise out of you,” Alex says, those being her first words to Kara for the day. “Just ignore her.”

 

“Sweets,” Maggie says, smirking and drawing Alex’s attention, “you couldn’t ignore me if you tried.”

 

Alex turns away and faces forward.

 

“But seriously though.” Maggie stands and moves around the rows of desks so she’s leaning against a railing, facing Kara and Alex. “I’m curious now.” She looks at them expectantly, waiting for an answer. “What happened to make you two,” she gestures between the two of them, “like this?”

 

Kara and Alex give no answer; they face forward and ignore Maggie’s questions.

 

“Fine then,” Maggie raises her hands in surrender. “What about you?” She looks over to Sam now. “You’re new this semester, so what’s your deal?” she says, despite having heard a fair bit about her already.

 

Sam shrugs. “I’ve got no ‘deal’.”

 

“Sure you do, everyone’s got one. And you transferred schools halfway through your senior year, yes?” Maggie asks, despite knowing the answer already. “Why would you do that? What made you transfer?”

 

Maggie knows that answer to her question, hell, everyone else in the room knows it too.

 

Sam doesn’t answer this time.

 

“Gee, you lot aren’t easy to talk to,” Maggie says as she boosts herself up so she’s now sitting on top of the railing, her legs dangling off the edge. “What’d you say we close that door?” She nods in the direction of the library’s door. “We can’t have much of a party with Edge checking us out every few seconds.”

 

“The door's supposed to stay open,” Kara says.

 

“So?”

 

“So, why don’t you just shut up,” Alex says. “There're four other people in here you know.”

 

“Oh good, you can count.” Maggie claps her hands. “I knew you were a smart one. They didn’t put you on the honor roll for nothin’, now did they.”

 

“Who are you to judge?” Alex says defensively, glaring at Maggie. “You don’t know what it’s really like.”

 

“You’re right, so enlighten me, please,” Maggie says. “I’d love to hear about the woes of being a prodigy.”

 

It’s then that Edge leaves his office and walks by the open library door. Maggie’s quick to jump off the railing and sit in the empty seat between Kara and Alex. She folds her arms on the desk and twiddles her thumbs as she waits for Edge to walk away. She waits a few moments before jumping back up and walking over to the door, peering out into the corridor and looking both ways.

 

Maggie reaches up and starts to fiddle with the mechanics of the door when she’s happy that Edge is far enough away.

 

“Hey, what’re you doing?” Alex says, her voice louder than before.

 

Maggie turns back and brings her finger to her lips, before returning to the door’s mechanics. She’s quick to remove a screw and the door slams shut with a loud _bang_. Maggie quickly moves back to her original seat and sits down.

 

“Oh, real funny,” Alex says. “Come on, fix it!”

 

“Do I look like a genius?” Maggie says.

 

“Fix the door!” Alex says, with conviction in her voice.

 

“Just… shh!” Maggie says. “I’ve been here before; I know what I’m doing!”

 

“I don’t care, just fix the god-damn door!” Alex says.

 

Sam and Kara join Alex and tell Maggie to fix the door. Their voices rise and Edge’s voice from outside silences them all.

 

“Goddamnit!” Edge says as he pulls the door open. “Why is that door closed?” He walks towards the rows of desks and looks at each of the girls in turn.

 

“How’re we supposed to know? We’re not supposed to move, right?” Maggie says. She lowers her head and twiddles her thumbs.

 

“Why?” Edge asks his attention on Alex.

 

“We were just sitting here… and it just… closed,” Alex says.

 

Maggie smirks, still keeping her head down.

 

“You!” Edge points to Sam. “Why is that door closed?”

 

“I dunno, sir,” Sam says.

 

“It just closed, sir,” Kara says.

 

“How ‘bout you at the back!” Edge says, now addressing Lena. “Why is that door closed?” He stares at her.

 

Lena stares back, not at all fazed by Edge’s attempt at intimidation. It’s Edge who breaks first and he looks away to address the other four students. He glares at them and proceeds to walk over to the door. He grabs a fold-out chair and pushes the door open, placing the chair in front of it.

 

“The door’s way too heavy,” Maggie says.

 

Edge ignores her comment and releases his hold on the door. For the briefest second, it holds, and he admires his work, but the door quickly slams shut, causing the chair to go flying along the corridor.

  

“Goddamnit!” Edge says from outside the library.

 

The five girls all snicker under their breath.

 

Edge pulls the door open and walks back into the library, stopping in front of the desks. “You’re not fooling anyone, Sawyer!” he says, pointing at Maggie. “I know you did this.”

 

Maggie scoffs and rolls her eyes, folding her arms over her chest and leaning back to look at Edge.

 

“What was that?” Edge says, moving closer to Maggie.

 

“Nothing,” Maggie says carelessly.

 

Edge looks at her for a brief second, eyes narrowing. “You just got yourself another Saturday detention.”

 

“What! Why?” Maggie says.

 

“Because,” he smirks, “I said so.”

 

“You’re abusing your power! How is that fair?”

 

“One more, right there!”

 

Maggie glares at him in a fuming silence for a brief second. “Well, I’m free the Saturday after that, so why don’t we just go ahead and schedule another one in!”

 

“Excellent! And while we’re at it, why don’t we just throw another one in there? You okay with that?” he asks, not at all caring for her answer.

 

“Yes!” 

 

“Great! You want another one?”

 

“Yes!”

 

“You got it!”

 

“Cut it out!” Alex says to Maggie before mouthing “stop.” 

 

“You through?” Edge says, staring at Maggie. Maggie doesn’t answer. “Good.” Edge smirks. “You’re mine, Sawyer. Anyone else care to join Miss Sawyer in detention for the next month?” he says to the others. “No? That’s too bad. I’m going to be right outside those doors. The next time I have to come in here, I’m cracking skulls!” Edge looks at the five students once more before he turns and leaves.

 

“Fuck,” Maggie mutters under her breath once they’re alone again.

 

* * *

 

With the clock above the still closed library door only reading quarter past eight, Kara leans back in her seat and begins playing with the drawstring on her hoodie – pulling either end of it back-and-forth. Alex watches her sister for a moment with a look of bewilderment, before she draws her attention away and looks at Lena in the back, still scribbling across her piece of paper.

 

Maggie picks pieces off the soles of her shoes, flicking them to the ground. Alex rolls her eyes and turns away, resting her head against the palm of her hand as her eyes slowly come to a close. Sam, too, is near sleep. She folds her arms on her desk and rests her head in the crook of her elbow.

 

Kara takes her glasses off, inspecting the lenses and blowing a speck of dust away. She slides them back on her face and tightens her ponytail before folding her arms across her chest and letting her own eyes slowly close.

  

Maggie and Lena soon follow suit. Lena abandons her piece of paper and brings her head onto the desk’s surface, her eyes closing moments before Maggie passes out at her own desk.

 

All five girls are now asleep.

 

* * *

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading everyone! I seriously appreciate it. I do hope you liked this first chapter because I sure as heck had a great time writing it. As always, if you saw any grammatical or punctuation mistakes, feel free to let me know so I can go back and fix 'em up. I am curious as to what you thought of the chapter as a whole, so if you have any thoughts, please feel free to leave a comment, also, any questions you have, feel free to ask and I'll happily respond.
> 
> Thanks again for reading!


	2. Chapter Two

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello folks!
> 
> Very happy that you seem to like this little story. Anyway, I won't keep you for long. I've got a few days off so I might be able to update again with chapter three in two or three days. But until then, I hope you enjoy.
> 
> Happy reading :)

 

* * *

 

It’s no more than an hour that passes when Edge walks into the library to find the five students asleep at their desks. He stands in front of the rows and looks at them with displeasure.

 

“Wake up!” he says with his hands on his hips, the pose loosely resembling a superhero. “Who has to use the bathroom?”

 

At his question, all five girls raise their hands, still with their eyes shut and heads on their desks.

 

“You two!” Edge says, pointing to Alex and Kara. “Oi, Danvers sisters,” he snaps his fingers in front of them when they don’t react, “you’re first. Use the bathrooms at the _end_ of the hall. I do not want you wandering around the school unsupervised.”

 

The two sit up, bleary-eyed. They glance over at each other before pushing their chairs back and standing.

 

“You have eight minutes,” Edge says as he watches the two girls walk towards the door. “Any longer and there will be a problem.”

 

Kara and Alex push through the heavy door and out into the hall. The door slams shut behind them and the sound bounces off the linoleum floors and bare white walls. They walk down the hall in silence at first, the _click_ of their footfalls echoing around the room.

 

Alex has her head down and hands in her hoodie’s pockets while Kara glance over at her every few seconds. As much as they’re at each other’s throats, a small part of Kara still wants to be close with her sister, even if she isn’t currently aware of it herself.

 

“Okay, what is it?” Alex stops and turns to face Kara. “You keep looking over at me every few seconds, so you clearly want to say something to me, so go ahead, say it.”

 

“It’s nothing,” Kara says, starting to walk off again but Alex reaches for her forearm and stops her from leaving.

 

“It’s obviously not nothing, so just say whatever it is you want to say,” Alex says, her tone short.

 

“Not everything is about you, ya’ know.”

 

“Really, you’re gonna be short with me? You’re the one that was looking at me, you’re the one with something to say, so just say it!”

 

Kara rolls her eyes and starts to walk off down the hall again.

 

“What’s your problem?” Alex says.

 

“What’s my-” Kara spins around and walks back up to Alex. “What’s _my_ problem? How ‘bout what’s _your_ problem?”

 

“My problem?” Alex scoffs.

 

“Yes! I’m not the one who’s been acting like a total bitch!”

 

“How dare you!”

 

“Oh, how dare I?” Kara laughs. “Admit it. You hated it when Eliza and Jerimiah adopted me. Whenever I tried to talk to you, you’d act like I was some kind of nuisance. You never wanted me around and some days, you’d act like I wasn’t even there!”

 

“You know what, Kara!” Alex throws her hands in the air. “Fine. You wanna think I’m the bad guy in all this, go right ahead. Whatever helps you sleep at night.” Alex walks past Kara and down the hall. She stops at the bathroom door and looks back at her sister. “But just so you know, things haven’t been all easy for me.” She pushes the bathroom door open with force and it slams shut behind her, the sound bounces around the hallway.

 

They both use the bathroom and walk back to the library separately. The four other people in the room watch as they sit down at their respective desks in silence; there’s a palpable tension around them.

 

* * *

 

The clock above the library’s doors now read ten-twenty-two. They’re alone in the library again and, despite Edge’s instructions about not moving and not talking, that’s exactly what they’re doing.

 

Maggie sits on the checkout desk and flicks through the card catalog drawer, taking random ones out and reading them before tossing them behind her. Sam is sitting on the railing, her back to Maggie but still conversing with her, and Alex is standing between the two as she flicks through random books on the return trolley, looking up occasionally to answer a question.

 

“You know,” Alex says to Maggie, “you really shouldn’t be doing that.”

 

“What? This?” Maggie takes another card out and tosses it behind her while holding Alex’s gaze.

 

“Yes, that. It makes the librarian’s job very difficult.”

 

Instead of answering, Maggie smirks and carelessly tosses another card behind her. Alex rolls her eyes and moves to lean against the railing beside Sam.

 

“She’s an ass,” Alex says loud enough for only Sam to hear.

 

Sam laughs and looks down at Alex. “Maybe, but that’s why we’re all here, right? For being an ass of some kind.”

 

“Is that why you’re here?” Alex says.

 

“Depends on who you ask. If you were to ask me, I’d say that no, I was not being an ass. I was simply standing my ground. But if you ask the pitcher, then yes, I’m an ass. He’d probably also have a few other choice words, but I think ass will suffice,” Sam says.

 

“What’d you say to him?” Maggie says, reminding the two of her presence.

 

“Pardon?” Sam turns around and faces Maggie now.

 

“To the pitcher. What’d you say to him?” Maggie sets the card catalog drawer aside and jumps off the desk

 

Sam jumps off the railing. “Why do you wanna know?”

 

Maggie shrugs. “Curiosity I suppose. So, what’d you say?” She grins. “I heard it was pretty offensive.”

 

“I don’t remember word-for-word, but I think I called him a misogynistic prick at one point.”

 

“Why’d you do it?” Maggie says, moving a little closer to Alex and Sam.

 

“I hardly think you have a right to know,” Sam says.

 

“True, but I know you want to tell someone; to talk about how _good_ it must have felt to finally call him out. So, go one, tell us. Why’d you do it?”

 

“I don’t even know you,” Sam says.

 

“Fine then. Name’s Maggie Sawyer,” she says, flashing a smile in Alex’s direction. Alex ducks her head and her cheeks tinge just a little bit red, but it’s enough to make Maggie smirk.

 

“And I did the same thing you did; called some prick out and now I’m here,” Maggie says, looking back at Sam.

 

“Why’d you do it then?” Sam says.

 

“You first.”

 

There’s a beat of silence before Sam speaks again. She knows Maggie’s right, she wants so badly to talk about it, about how _good_ it felt to call the pitcher out for his behavior, but she knows that if she does, she’ll be confirming all the rumor. Her secret will be in the open for everyone to take and do as they please. So, she does the only thing she can do, the only thing that makes sense: lies.

 

“I heard him talking about one of the freshmen,” Sam says. “He was saying some pretty cruel and objectifying things, so I interrupted him and simply explained that he was being a prick.”

 

It’s a lie, and Maggie knows it, but she doesn’t push. She hums her understanding and leaves the topic, for now at least.

 

“Now you,” Sam says. “Why’d you do it?”

 

“My homeroom teacher made an offensive comment about lesbians.” Alex’s head snaps up then and she watches Maggie talk, their eyes unintentionally locking. 

 

“What did he say?” Alex asks in a bit of a haze.

 

“Just the usual things you hear people preach about. You know, how being gay is a sin and how all gay people are going to hell.

 

“What’d you say to him?” Sam says.

 

Maggie tears her gaze away from Alex and grins at Sam. “That if that’s the case, then I’ll see him down there.”

 

Sam laughs and Maggie joins in. Alex breaks out of her haze and lightly laughs along with the other two girls, but her mind is still replaying Maggie’s comment.

 

The laughter coming from her right pulls Kara from her near asleep state. She’s sitting at her desk and has her head resting in the palm of her hand, her eyes mere seconds away from closing again. She looks to the noise and sees Alex, Maggie, and Sam laughing at something, she ignores them though and rests her head back on the palm of her right hand.

 

Kara sits so her back is facing the three girls and angles her head slightly so she can better see Lena sitting in the back. She watches as Lena continues to write across the pieces of paper in front of her. Watches as she moves the pencil across the width of the page and how her facial expression shifts slightly in her concentration.

 

She’s curious about what Lena’s doing; wants to go up to her and ask, say hello maybe. Anything really. She doesn’t though. She turns back around and folds her arms on her desk, brings her head down to rest in the crook of her elbow. Kara’s eyes slowly shut again. 

 

* * *

 

The minutes on the clock continue to pass, and all the girls find themselves back their original seats, staring off into space and entertaining any thoughts that cross their minds. The school’s janitor walks in, pushing a cleaning trolley up a ramp towards the lone office in the library, and the girls all watch as he does so.

 

“Lena, how’re you doing?” the janitor, J’onn, says from the open doorframe.

 

“Family friend work here?” Maggie says, looking back at Lena.

 

Lena glares at her in response.

 

“Uh, J’onn?” Maggie says.

 

“What?”

 

“Can I ask you a question?”

 

“Sure.” J’onn tips the contents of one of the wastebaskets into a rubbish bag.

 

“How does one become a janitor?”

 

“You wanna be a janitor?”

 

“No, I just want to know how one becomes a janitor because Danvers here,” Maggie nods to Alex, “is very interested in the custodial arts.”

 

J’onn steps away from his task to focus on the girls. “Oh, really?” He looks between them all. “You lot think I’m just some peasant? Huh? Maybe so but following you all around with a broom for the last four years I’ve learned a couple of things.

 

“I’ve read the letters you thought were gone forever,” he glances at Lena whose eyes widen, “seen inside your lockers,” he glances at Sam and then Kara, who shift uncomfortably in their seats. “I’ve also overheard your conversations,” he looks at Alex now who goes tense under his gaze. “Things you thought were just between you and your best friend, I’ve heard. I am the eyes and ears of this institution, my friends.”

 

The girls all glance at one another before looking back up at J’onn who’s pulling the trolley back towards the library door.

 

“By the way,” J’onn says just as the door is about to close. “That clock,” he points to the clock above the door, “is twenty minutes fast.”

 

Kara, Alex, Sam, and Lena groan while Maggie smirks.

 

* * *

 

The clock above the library door reads eleven-thirty now. They’re sitting in silence and have been for the most part since J’onn left them a little under half-an-hour ago. Maggie starts to whistle a marching tune and, one-by-one, the four other girls join in.

 

Edge pushes through the door with an arrogant authority, effectively silencing Kara, Alex, Sam and Lena from their whistling, but only further encouraging Maggie who begins to whistle Beethoven’s 5th.

 

“Alright girls, that’s thirty minutes for lunch,” Edge says.

 

“Here?” Kara says.

 

“Here,” Edge says, his tone suggesting no room for compromise.

 

“Well, I think the cafeteria would be a more suitable place for us to eat lunch in, sir,” Kara says.

 

“Well, I don’t care what you think, Miss Danvers.”

 

“Excuse me, Morgan, will milk be made available to us?” Maggie says.

 

“We’re extremely thirsty, sir,” Alex says.

 

"I have a very low tolerance for dehydration,” Sam says, traces of a slight smirk on her face.

 

“I’ve seen her dehydrated, sir, it’s pretty gross,” Alex says.

 

“Relax everyone,” Maggie says as she abruptly pushes her chair back and stands. “I’ll grab some milk for us.”

 

“Ah, ah, ah, grab some wood there, bub!” Edge says, pointing a finger in Maggie’s direction.

 

“I’d rather not,” Maggie says only loud enough for the girls around her to hear. Alex rolls her eyes at the comment while Kara, Sam and Lena smirk.

 

“You think I was born yesterday? You think I’m gonna have you roaming these halls unsupervised?” He points to Kara. “You!” And then to Lena in the back. “And you! There’s a soft drink machine in the teacher’s lounge. Grab a Coke for everyone.”

 

* * *

 

Kara and Lena walk through the empty hall. It doesn’t feel like they’re walking to the teacher’s lounge, instead, the cinderblock walls and plain linoleum floors make it feel more like they’re walking to their execution, the fluorescent lights above them illuminating the way.

 

“I’m Kara, by the way,” Kara says in an attempt to break the silence that’s around them. 

 

“I know,” Lena says after beat of silence, a shy smile on her face. Kara gives her a curious look and Lena explains further. “I went to the school’s art show last month and saw quite a few of your pieces; I was gonna come speak to you, but you looked busy.”

 

“You could’ve come and spoken to me,” Kara says smiling, “I wouldn’t have minded.”

 

Lena shrugs. “You’re very talented.”

 

“You don’t have to say that.”

 

“It’s true though. I really like the painting you did of the cove, the one in oils.”

 

“Thank you.” Kara pushes her glasses further up her nose. “It’s actually this little place on the outskirts of town.”

 

“I know.” Lena smiles. “I go there sometimes; I really like watching the sunsets there.”

 

“Me too. Were you writing your essay before?” Kara asks after a beat of silence.

 

Lena laughs and it makes Kara smile.

 

“No. No, I was not writing my essay,” Lena says, still slightly laughing.

 

“Why is that so funny?”

 

“Because you actually expect even _one_ of us to write that essay. It’s kinda cute.”

 

“Well, if you weren’t writing the essay, what were you doing?” Kara says, choosing to ignore the heat that creeps up her neck at Lena’s comment.

 

Lena pulls a piece of folded paper from her pocket and hands it to Kara. “It’s an equation I’ve been trying to solve for the past few weeks; part of this little experiment I wanna conduct one day,” Lena says as Kara unfolds the piece of paper and reads through each line of complex math in Lena’s neat writing.

 

“Looks hard,” Kara says, handing the piece of paper back to Lena.

 

Lena shrugs. “Eh, with the right mindset you could do anything.”

 

Kara nods and they continue to walk down the hall and towards the teacher’s lounge. Their footsteps echo off the empty walls.

 

* * *

 

With Kara and Lena off wandering the halls in search of the teacher’s lounge, Alex, Maggie and Sam are left alone in the library. The sit around the space; Maggie on the railing, Alex in her chair, and Sam on the desk.

 

“Danvers,” Maggie says, drawing Alex’s attention away from her desk. “What’d you do to get in here?”

 

“Why do you care?” Alex says.

 

“Well, I don’t, I’m just curious,” Maggie says.

 

“Can’t you just leave me alone?” Alex says. She watches closely as Maggie jumps down from the railings and moves to stand in front of her desk, resting her hands on the desk and leaning in just slightly.

 

“Come on,” Maggie says, a grin on her face, “What’d a smart girl like you do to wind up in Saturday detention with us?” Alex doesn’t answer. “Did you forget to do your homework one too many times?” Maggie mocks.

 

Alex rolls her eyes and leans back, resting her full weight against the back of her chair and crossing her arms over her chest. She looks up at Maggie, defiance clear on her face.

 

“Or was it something else?” Maggie continues. “Did one of the teachers catch you doing something you shouldn’t have been doing?”

 

“Maybe you should just leave her alone,” Sam says calmly, watching the exchange and seeing Alex’s growing discomfort.

 

Maggie ignores Sam though. “Did you sneak a cigarette behind the bleachers? Something else behind the bleachers? Maybe, some _one_ behind the bleachers.” Maggie says, smirking. “What did you do?”

 

The sudden sound of the library doors opening and then closing saves Alex from giving an answer. Kara and Lena set the cans of Coke down on the front rows of desks and return to their own seats. Sam takes one of the cans and goes to her own desk, pulling out the simple lunch she made earlier that morning.

 

Kara takes one of the cans cautiously and watches as Maggie and Alex continue with their stare down. “You two okay?”

 

Neither gives Kara an answer, instead, Maggie grabs one of the cans and holds her gaze for a second longer, opening the can and taking a sip. She grabs another can and throws it back to Lena who catches it with surprising ease, given that she wasn’t even watching it. Maggie walks back to her own desk.

 

Kara looks at her sister curiously, but even though Alex can feel her sister’s eyes on her, she doesn’t look. She grabs the last can with only slightly shaky hands and begins eating her own lunch.

 

The five girls eat their lunch in silence.

 

* * *

 


	3. Chapter Three

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello folks!
> 
> Thanks heaps for the positive feedback; I'm having a great time reading and responding to your comments, so feel free to keep 'em coming if you want. Anyway, here's another chapter ready for your enjoyment, and I've got the next chapter all ready to go, so it should be out sometime tomorrow. Until then, enjoy!
> 
> Happy reading :)

 

* * *

 

The five girls huddle along the library doors, each pressing an ear against the smooth surface and listening out into the hall. They hear Edge leave his office, muttering something to himself about a spilled coffee.

 

“Alright, ladies!” Maggie says, addressing the four other girls with her hand on the handle. “Let’s do this!” She grins and pushes the door open and peers out into the hall, she watches as Edge disappears around a corner. She motions for everyone to follow her as she steps out into the hall and walks in the opposite direction. Alex, Kara, Sam, and Lena follow closely behind her. Maggie and Alex walk side-by-side, Kara and Sam behind them and Lena trails behind.

 

“How do you know where Edge went?” Alex says to Maggie as they go around another corner.

 

“I don’t,” Maggie says, her determination remaining static.

 

“Well then, how do you know when he’ll be back?”

 

“I don’t. Being bad feels pretty good, huh?” she glances over at Alex and grins.

 

“What’s the point of going to Maggie’s locker?” Kara says to Sam.

 

“No idea,” Sam says.

 

“This is so stupid. Why are we risking getting caught?”

 

“I dunno.”

 

“So then, what are we doing?”

 

“Look,” Sam stops and faces Kara. “I have no idea. Whatever you’re gonna ask, I don’t know, okay?”

 

“Okay,” Kara nods.

 

“Good,” Sam says. They continue walking and catch up with Alex and Maggie.

 

The five girls walk along the hall, red lockers lining the walls on either side and cheap linoleum stretching the entire length of the hall. They eventually stop at one with an array of threats written in sharpie across it. Maggie spins the dial on the lock and pulls the door open. She shuffles through piles of papers and rubbish, eventually pulling out a small bag of marijuana.

 

“Drugs, really?” Sam says.

 

“Come on Maggie, put it back!” Kara says.

 

Maggie slams the door shut and walks away, am and Alex follows.

 

“She has drugs,” Kara says to Lena in slight disarray.

 

Lena shrugs. “You’re an artist; aren’t all artists stoners?” she smirks and runs after the others. Kara grins at Lena’s comment and quickly follows after her.

 

“We’ll cross through the lab, and then we’ll double back,” Maggie says as the group run down one of the hallways.

 

“You better be right, if Edge cuts us off-” Alex says, but gets cut off by Maggie before she can finish.

 

“He won’t,” Maggie says, “Trust me.”

 

The five girls run down the school hallways, sliding along the recently polished floors and trying to avoid Edge at all costs. They run around a corner but quickly and quietly retreat when they see Edge along that same stretch of hallway.

 

They stop again.

 

“Wait! Wait, hold it! Hold it! We have to go through the cafeteria!” Maggie says, slightly out of breath from all the running.

 

“No, the activities hall,” Alex says.

 

“You don’t know what you’re talking about!” Maggie says

 

“No, you don’t know what you’re talking about! We’re through listening to you, we’re going this way.” Alex says before running off towards the activities hall, the others all following behind with slight hesitation.

 

In spite of the group’s best efforts, when they go around another corner, they’re met with an iron gate separating the hallway into two.

 

“Shit!” Alex bangs the gate in a futile attempt at opening the gate.

 

“Good going, genius!” Maggie says.

 

“Fuck you!” Alex says back.

 

“Fuck you!” Kara says. “Why didn’t you listen to Maggie?!”

 

“We’re done,” Sam says in resignation.

 

“No,” Maggie says, “just me.”

 

“What’d you mean?” Alex says.

 

“Get back to the library!” Maggie says as she shoves her bag of marijuana into Alex’s hands. She runs off down the hall towards where they last saw Edge. “I’ve got this!” she calls back. Maggie starts to sing loudly as she runs along the halls, ripping posters off walls and dragging her hands along the locks on the lockers.

 

The four remaining girls share a quick look of surprise and confusion before running off in the opposite direction back towards the library. They hear Maggie’s signing slowly grow further away until they can no longer hear her.

 

It doesn’t take them long to reach the entrance to the library. They’re about to walk inside, debating whether or not they should go back to help Maggie. Despite knowing her for less than a day, there’s a voice in the girls’ heads, saying that they should go back. They don’t though. They know better than to go find her, so, they all silently walk back into the library and return to their seats.

 

* * *

 

Maggie’s in the school’s gymnasium, standing at the three-point line and bouncing a basketball between her hands. Edge pushes the door open and is fuming when he sees Maggie standing there.

 

“Sawyer! Sawyer! What is this?! What are you doing here, what is this?!”

 

“Edge! You made it,” Maggie says, her focus on the ball in her hands and the net in front of her. Maggie shots the ball and it narrowly misses the net. “Damn.”

 

“Out! That’s it!”

 

“You don’t even wanna hear my excuse?” Maggie turns away from the net and now focuses on Edge.

 

“Sawyer!” Edge points to the gymnasium door, a scowl on his face.

 

“For what it’s worth, I was thinking of trying out for the team. Maybe even get a scholarship for college,” Maggie says, walking towards the door. “You think the girl's team’ll take me?”

 

“Out! Now!” Maggie smirks at Edge’s obvious frustration but leaves the gym nonetheless, Edge walking closely behind her.

 

* * *

 

Kara, Lena, Sam, and Alex are all sitting in the library, a tense silence around them as they wait for Maggie to return by herself or with Edge in tow. Their heads snap up at the sudden sound of the library door being pushed open and Edge shouting.

 

“Get your stuff, let's go!” Edge says to Maggie. “Miss Sawyer here has taken it upon herself to go to the gymnasium,” Edge says, now addressing everyone else. “I’m sorry to inform you, you’re going to be without her services for the rest of the day.”

 

“I’m sure they’ll survive,” Maggie says, “won’t ya?” she smirks and winks at Alex.

 

“Hey! Enough!” Edge says, snapping his fingers. “Everything’s a big joke to you, huh? Well, you wanna see something funny?” He again addresses the rest of the room. “You go visit Maggie Sawyer in five years! You’ll see how goddamn funny she is! Come on, let's go!” He says, grabbing Maggie’s shoulder.

 

“Hey, keep your hands to yourself! I expect better manners from someone in your position!” Maggie says. She takes her sunglasses out of her pocket and lays them in front of Alex on her desk. “Remember me,” she grins.

 

Maggie leaves the library, Edge following behind. The doors slam shut, and Kara, Lena, Sam, and Alex are again sitting in silence.

 

* * *

 

Edge shoves Maggie into one of the storage cupboards further down the hallway. Maggie falls back onto a pile of crates and boxes.

 

“That’s the last time, Sawyer,” Edge says, pointing an accusatory finger at Maggie. “That’s the last time you ever make me look bad in front of those kids; do you hear me? I make thirty-one thousand dollars a year and I have a home and I’m not about to throw it away on some delinquent like you. But someday, man, someday.” He grins. “When you’re outta here and you’ve forgotten all about this place, and they’ve forgotten all about you, and you’re wrapped up in your own pathetic life, I’m gonna be there. That’s right. And I’m gonna kick the living shit out of you!”

 

“Are you threatening me?” Maggie says

 

“What’re you gonna do about it? Huh? You really think anybody’s gonna believe you? That anybody will take your word over mine? I’m a man of respect around here. They love me around here, I’m a swell guy, but you, you are lying sack of shit!”

 

Maggie sits on the stack of crates and boxes, looking up at Edge with fear in her eyes. It’s one of the first times she’s felt like this at school, and with Edge standing over her, shouting and belittling her, Maggie retreats back into herself.

 

“I’ll be back for you at five,” Edge says before he leaves. He locks the door from the outside and returns to his own office, leaving Maggie alone in the cupboard.

 

Maggie rolls her head back and stares up at the suspended ceiling, calming herself and regaining her composure. She closes her eyes and takes a few deep breaths. After a minute, she opens her eyes and looks up at the ceiling. She focuses on the panel above her and an idea springs to mind.

 

Maggie grins. She stands up and adjusts the stack of boxes she was sitting on to make it sturdier. She climbs up the pile of boxes and crates and disappears into the ceiling. As she crawls through the ceiling Maggie hears the creaking of the panels underneath her weight. She’s careful not to put too much pressure on any one panel, but that isn’t enough.

 

She puts too much weight on one panel and falls through, cursing as she falls. She lands with a loud thud on top of the broken panel. She sits up with a jolt and looks around, instantly recognizing the room around her as the library.

 

Maggie stands up and dusts herself off before casually walking down that stairs. “Hey,” she says to Alex, Kara, Sam, and Lena who all look at her in absolute shock. “Just forgot my pencil,” she says, picking up a pencil and putting it behind her ear.

 

The library door opens with such a force that anyone would think the person opening it was trying to tip it off its hinges. Maggie quickly ducks and crawls under the row of desks Alex and Kara are sitting at.

 

Edge walks in, fuming and point at the four girls. “What was that ruckus?!”

 

“Uh, what ruckus?” Kara says.

 

“I was just in my office and I heard a ruckus!” Edge says.

 

“Could you describe the ruckus, sir?” Sam says.

 

“Watch your tongue, watch it!” Edge says, now pointing at Sam.

 

Underneath the row of desks, Maggie tries to sit up as straight as possible given the lack of room, but while adjusting herself, she bangs her head against the table and groans at the sudden contact.

 

At the sound, Kara and Alex try to make more noise; they cough and bang their fists against the table.

 

“What is that? What is that noise?” Edge says.

 

“What noise?” Kara says.

 

“Really, sir, there wasn’t any noise,” Alex says.

 

Maggie accidentally sneezes so Kara, Alex, Sam and Lena all start faking a coughing fit in an attempt to cover up the sound.

 

“Was that it, sir? Was that the noise you were talking about?” Alex says.

 

“No, it wasn’t,” Edge says, glaring at Alex now. “That was not the noise I was talking about. Now, I may not have caught you in the act this time, but you can bet that I will. I will not be made a fool of,” he says, directing his final sentence at Alex. He casts one last glance around the library before he turns and leaves, returning to his office.

 

Once they’re alone again, Alex slides back on her chair and allows Maggie to stand up.

 

“That was really dumb,” Alex says to Maggie, her irritation obvious.

 

“Don’t act like you aren’t happy to see me.” Maggie grins. “Now, can I have my stuff?” She extends her hand, with her palm up, to Alex. Alex gives her the bag and Maggie smiles. “Thanks, sweets.” She walks away towards one of the more comfortable sitting areas in the library.

 

“Oi!” Kara calls out. “You’re not gonna blaze up in here!”

 

Maggie ignores her and Alex follows and then Sam, leaving Kara and Lena at the desks. Kara glances back at Lena who just shrugs before walking off towards the others.

 

“Shit,” Kara says under her breath before joining the others.

 

* * *

 

Edge leaves his office and begins walking through the expanse of halls towards the basement. He looks around before unlocking the door to the confidential file room and opens the door when he’s satisfied that no one is around. He begins glancing through the files.

 

As he reads through the files, he begins talking to himself. “Mister, oh mister Schott, Dad’s in prison and Mom’s gone. Wooh, no wonder he’s so closed off.”

 

J’onn appears at the door then and watches Edge look through the files for a second. He makes his presence known by clearing his throat.

 

“Afternoon, Morgan,” J’onn says.

 

“Hey, J’onn, how you doin’?” Edge says, quickly closing the file and holds it by his side.

 

“Good,” J’onn glances at the cabinet and walks in, leaning against it now.

 

“Good, what’s up?”

 

“Not much, what’s happening, what are you doing in the basement files?”

 

“Oh, nothin’. I’m just doing a little homework here.”

 

“Homework, huh?” J’onn glances at the file by his side.

 

“Yeah.”

 

J’onn laughs and glances at the filing cabinet and reads the label written across the drawer. “Confidential files… hmmm?”

 

“Look, J’onn, this is a highly sensitive area and I’ll tell you something; certain people would be very, very embarrassed. I would really appreciate it if this would be something that you and could keep between us.”

 

“We’ll see,” J’onn says before leaving the room to return to his cleaning.

 

At J’onn’s last remark, fear passes through Edge, perhaps for the first time in his life.

 

* * *

 

Maggie, Alex, Sam, and Lena are all sitting sprawled out across the couches, noticeably a little off and laughing hysterically at some small and insignificant thing. In the midst of their hysteria, they all suddenly stop when they see Kara emerge from one of the nearby offices. The room is smoky, and Kara takes a deep breath.

 

“What?” Kara says, noticing everyone’s look of surprise. “I’m an artist,” Kara says in lieu of an explanation, and Lena breaks into more hysterics at the comment. Kara tries to keep a straight face, but it lasts all of three seconds before she’s laughing along with Lena.

 

Something comes over Kara then, and despite there being no music playing, she begins to dance around the library; everyone else applauding her and laughing. Spurred on by everything around her, Kara grabs Lena’s hand and pulls her up so they’re dancing around without a single care in the world. They’re each sporting huge grins across their faces and they laugh and stumble around much to the amusement of everyone else.

 

“Ya know,” Sam says, tilting her head and watching Kara and Lena dance, “I’m no expert, but it looks like they’re crushing on each other.”

 

Being too far gone, and not really understanding the meaning of Sam’s words, Alex laughs and collapses on the couch. This prompts Sam to break out into more hysterics and it only takes a few seconds until she collapses back into the couch, slowly sliding off it until she’s sitting on the floor.

 

* * *

 

 


	4. Chapter Four

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hellooooo folks!
> 
> Here's another chapter for your enjoyment. This one was certainly my favorite to write, so I do hope you like it. Also, big thanks for all the comments. I'm havin' a grand ol' time reading and responding to them! So, feel free to keep 'em coming. Anyway, I should be back with the final chapter soon, but until then, enjoy!
> 
> Happy reading :)

 

* * *

 

Their time in detention is gradually coming to an end as the hour hand slowly but surely moves closer to the five. Having come down from their high, the girls find themselves sitting on the second level of the library. They’re hidden away from view and are sitting in a circle of sorts, talking about all the little things that cross their minds.

 

“What would I do for a million dollars?” Kara says, repeating the question that’s being thrown around the group. “I dunno.” She adjusts her glasses. “A million dollars would get me out of this town, so I’d probably do just about anything.”

 

The girls all smile and nod their heads in an understanding, but it’s Sam who pushes for an answer.

 

“Yeah, but the point of the question is to search your mind for the absolute limit. Like, would you go for a swim in the ocean at midnight?”

 

“And get eaten by a shark?” Kara laughs at the absurdity of the idea. “No thank you.”

 

“Fine. How ‘bout,” Sam thinks for a moment, “Would you shave your head?”

 

Kara thinks for a moment. “Yeah, I would. I’ve actually been thinking about getting it cut short for a while now. It just gets in the way while I’m painting anyway.”

 

“You should do it; you’d look good with short hair,” Lena says. “I mean, I think that your hair looks nice now,” she smiles shyly, “but if you wanna cut it, you should. It’s just hair anyway, so it’ll grow back eventually.”

 

Kara flashes Lena a smile in return. “Thanks.”

 

“While these questions are truly riveting, we still haven’t established Alex’s reason for getting Saturday detention,” Maggie says, bringing her full focus to Alex who sits across from her. “So, Alex, what’d a smart girl like you do to wind up in here?”

 

“And what makes you think I’m going to tell you?” Alex says, starring Maggie down with as much intimidation she can muster, despite the nervousness that settles inside her whenever Maggie looks at her like _that_.

 

“Because,” Maggie smirks and tilts her head, “you want to. Everyone wants to talk about themselves, to be heard and be listened to, and you’re no different. We’re only human after all – so it’s through no fault of our own – and we’ll do just about anything to feel a little bit less alone, including, talking about ourselves. So, Alex, tell us, we’re listening, what did you do to get yourself thrown into Saturday detention with us?”

 

“No.”

 

“Why not?”

 

“It’s not a big deal, that’s why not!”

 

“If that’s the case, then what’s the harm in telling us?”

 

It only takes a few seconds for the others to join Maggie, urging Alex to talk; to tell them what she did. Alex looks between each of the girls around her. Everything except her hearing dulls, and all she can focus on is the constant chanting that’s just getting louder and louder. She closes her eyes in a futile attempt to regain some composure, but that only makes it worse.

 

“I cut class!” Alex says, her sudden outburst effectively silencing everyone in the circle. She releases a breath she wasn't aware that she’d been holding.

 

“That’s all?” Kara says, stifling a laugh.

 

“Shut up, Kara!” Alex snaps at her sister. The sudden and sharp response silences Kara and the rest of the group. A moment passes like this.

 

“Why?” Maggie says, looking at Alex without judgment, instead, with earnest curiosity, for the first time that day.

 

Alex debates not answering, maybe just getting up now and running from the library. But she wants to tell someone. She wants to be heard, to be listened to, and it irritates her to no end that Maggie had been right in her earlier judgment.

 

“I just wanted a break,” Alex says. No one says anything, they instead wait for Alex to talk. “There’s this pressure on me to do well, to get the A, to stay on the Honor Roll, to be… perfect. And sometimes it’s just _too_ much. Sometimes I think about how easy it would be to just run away; to leave everything and start over somewhere where no one knows me.” There are tears forming in Alex’s eyes and she wipes them away before she continues.

 

“Anyway, on Thursday morning, I was standing at the front of school. The bell had already gone, and I _knew_ that I had to go inside. I knew that I couldn’t just stand outside all day. But I couldn’t bring myself to walk inside. I just… I couldn’t. I couldn’t keep doing it: just pretending that everything was okay.

 

“I just wanted to pretend – even for an hour – that there was nothing. That I was the only thing that ever has and ever will exist. Just one hour where it was just _me_ and nothing else. _Just_ one hour.”

 

“Seriously, Alex!” Kara shouts at her sister. “You ditched school because you wanted a break?! We all want a break, we’re all stressed, we’re all tired. That doesn’t make you any more special or deserving than the rest of us!”

 

“Oh, fuck you, Kara!” Alex shouts back, tears are now starting to fall down her cheeks. She wipes them away with her sleeve. “You don’t know what it’s like!”

 

“Oh, here we go again!” Kara rolls her eyes. “Poor Alex, she does well at school, her parents push her to do her best, her parents care about her fucking interests! It must be so hard being _perfect_ all the goddamn time!”

 

“Shut up!”

 

Kara ignores Alex and continues. “You think that Eliza and Jerimiah adopting me ruined your life, it didn’t! You think that I got all the attention growing up, I didn’t! You’re still their favorite and for you to think otherwise is just fucking insulting! So, don’t you pretend, even for a second, that you know what real problems are!”

 

“Shut up! Shut up! Shut up!” Alex snaps. “How dare you say that! You think I’m perfect, well I’m not, okay!”

 

“Enlighten me then, please!”

 

“I’m gay!” Alex shouts, louder than she intends. It takes a second for Alex to fully realize what she said, but when she does, her angry demeanor falls, and she brings her legs to her chest and buries her head in the small space between her chest and legs. She wants to sink into the ground. Disappear from this situation and stop everyone around her from staring. But she can’t. She has to sit here and endure whatever comes next. Their silence is killing her, tearing her apart from the inside out.

 

Whatever words were about to leave Kara’s mouth as an automatic response, fade and a soft expression falls over her face. Lena and Sam look at her with wide eyes, the meaning of Alex’s words sinking into their own brains, not Maggie though. She’s still looking at her, but not with judgment or surprise across her face, rather it’s… understanding? Compassion?

 

It’s Kara who eventually breaks the silence. “You know that’s okay, right? Eliza and Jerimiah know I am, and they were supportive when I told them.”

 

“It’s different though,” Alex says. She looks up at Kara, tears now falling freely down her face and staining the top of her hoodie. “My sexuality won’t fit into this perfect little life they’re pushing me towards.” 

 

Kara shuffles across the circle so she’s sitting directly opposite Alex now. “It’s okay,” she says with conviction. Alex nods, trying to convince herself that it really will be okay.

 

For the first time in what feels like forever for the two sisters, Kara pulls Alex into a hug. It’s awkward at first, both due to their position and just how long it’s been since they last did this, but eventually, it stops feeling awkward and starts feeling normal. Like they’re the kind of sisters who hug every day.

 

Kara warps her arms around Alex and rubs soothing circles on her back. “Everything’s going to be okay,” Kara says softly, repeating it enough times so Alex will start believing it.

 

It takes a second for Alex to return the hug, but when she does, she clings to Kara as though she’s a lifeline.

 

* * *

 

Some time passes, but the group remains in their circle. Kara returned to her spot a little while ago and now they’re sitting in silence, letting the previous revelations set in. Alex feels lighter now, like the weight of her secret has finally, _finally_ , been lifted from her shoulders, and Sam wants to feel like that too. She wants someone to listen, to feel lighter and that she isn’t all alone.

 

“I lied,” Sam says. When the others look up at her, curious, she explains further. “Before, when you asked what I did to get detention, I lied. I mean, I did tell the pitcher off, but I lied about _why_ I did it,” she says.

 

None of the girls say anything, and their silence urges Sam to continue.

 

“This morning, when you asked what my deal was,” Sam says to Maggie, “I said I had none, that my transferring here meant nothing. That’s not true.” She takes a steadying breath. “Last year in January, I met a guy and I thought I loved him.” She laughs lightly as she recalls this, trying to ease some of the tension. “We moved pretty fast and it was no more than a month later that I found out I was pregnant.

 

“I told him, and he ran. He said that he couldn’t do it, shoved fifty dollars into my hands and ran.” Sam uses her palm to wipe away her tears that are starting to form. “When I told my Mom, she told me to get rid of it, that I couldn’t let a mistake like this ruin my life.” She pauses and looks down at her lap. “I was scared, really scared, but I knew that I wanted this child.” She looks back up at the group now. “I knew that it wasn’t going to be easy, but I wanted to give this child everything.

 

“Anyway, I stayed at my old school long enough to have my daughter and then we moved. My Mom thought it would be best, kinda like a fresh start. I have a daughter, but the people here won’t know that. But I guess secrets eventually come out because it didn’t take long for the rumors to start.

 

“The pitcher thought it would be funny to make fun of my choice to keep my daughter. I love my daughter more than anything in this world, and when he started talking about how she’d already ruined my life, I just lost it. I yelled, called him so many different names, and made it very clear that my daughter is not a mistake. But, because his parents are close with Edge, he didn’t get in trouble and I got Saturday detention.”

 

“That’s shit,” Kara says, and Sam laughs at the bluntness of her comment.

 

“Yeah, it is.” Sam laughs.

 

“What’s her name?” Lena says.

 

“Ruby,” Sam says, smiling brightly. “She’ll be two months next week.”

 

“You have a picture of her?” Maggie says.

 

“What makes you think I carry a picture of her around?”

 

“You said you love her more than anything, of course, you have a picture of her with you.”

 

Sam smiles again and pulls a small photo out from her jacket pocket. “This was taken just last week.” She passes it around the circle. The photo’s quality isn’t great – there’s an orange haze of the image – but there, in the middle of the photo, is a smiling Sam holding an equally happy little girl.

 

“She’s cute,” Alex says, smiling at the photo before handing it back to Sam.

 

“Yeah,” Sam says happily, looking down at the photo in her hands. “She really is.”

 

There are a few beats of silence that pass among the group, but it’s Kara who eventually breaks it.

 

“Um, I was just thinking, I mean, I know it’s kind of a weird time, but I was just wondering, what’s gonna happen to us on Monday?” Kara says. “When we’re all together again? I mean, I consider you all my friends, I’m not wrong, am I?”

 

“No, you’re not wrong,” Lena says, smiling softly at Kara.

 

“So, on Monday, what happens?” Kara says as she looks to everyone in the circle, trying to get an answer from their expressions.

 

“Are we still friends, you mean?” Sam says.

 

“Yeah,” Kara says, looking equally hopeful and nervous.

 

“I don’t know,” Sam says, looking down at her lap and fiddling with her fingers. Everyone else’s silence suggests that the answer is unanimous.

 

“Well, like, if I walk up to you,” Kara says to Maggie, “would you talk to me?”

 

Maggie is silent and avoids eye contact.

 

“How ‘bout you two?” Kara says to Sam and Lena.

 

“Yeah,” Lena smiles at Kara, “I would.”

 

“Yeah?” Kara says, the hope returning to her eyes.

 

“Yeah.”

 

“Sam?” Kara looks at Sam now.

 

“Yeah,” Sam says.

 

“What about you, Alex? Are we friends on Monday?” Kara says.

 

Alex shrugs.

 

“Oh, don’t give me that!”

 

“What’d you want me to say, Kara?! That you and I will walk out of here and banter and gossip like normal sisters?! That the five of us will eat lunch together now?! That we’ll hang out after school?! Study together?! Go to parties?! Be realistic!”

 

“Well, forgive me for wanting to have a half-way decent relationship with my sister and maybe make some new friends along the way!”

 

“It’s not that I don’t want to, it’s just… you don’t understand… none of you do. You’re not friends with the same kind of people I am! You know, you just don’t understand the pressure that can put on you!”

 

“I don’t understand what?” Lena says, taking offense at Alex’s statement. “You think I don’t understand pressure, Alex? Well, fuck you! Fuck you!” She wipes away the tears that are starting to form in her eyes. “Do you know why I’m here today?! Do you?!”

 

No one says anything.

 

“I’m here because I didn’t want to be at home! I didn’t get caught doing drugs, vandalizing the school, or because I talked back to a teacher. I showed up at seven o’clock and spent all day here even though I don’t have detention. I’m here because I _want_ to be!”

 

“Why?” Kara says after several beats of silence.

 

“Why what?”

 

“Why don’t you want to be at home?”

 

There’s a beat of silence where Lena debates not answering, but she does. She doesn’t run, nor does she close herself off. Instead, she talks. “My family is… dysfunctional, to put in nicely. They don’t care about emotions or feelings, just success. They’re driven by this innate desire for more. More money, more power, more… everything. And my mother’s guilty of this the most. She puts this pressure on you to not just do well but be the _best_. She accepts nothing less than absolute perfection. She adores my brother because of this, because to her, he can do no wrong. In her eyes, he _is_ the perfect child.

 

“I can try all I want. Get the perfect grades, look the part of the perfect daughter, but to her, it’s not enough. Anything I do is negated by the fact that I am not _him_. So, being here, even if it’s not permanent, is a break. A break from her constant disappointment and the toxic competition that plagues that house.” Lena breathes a sigh of relief and she instantly feels the weight of keeping that all in, lifted.

 

Because she's sitting beside Lena, probably a little closer than necessary, Kara moves her hand slightly over so it's just grazing Lena's. She wants to offer Lena some kind of support, and right now, something as simple and small as being close to another person feels like the right thing to her. And she knows it is when Lena doesn't retract her hand, instead, moving it a little closer.

 

"I’m sorry,” Alex says after a beat of silence, “I didn’t know.”

 

Lena sniffles and wipes away the last of her tears with her free hand. “I know.” She offers her a weak smile.

 

“You guys wanna hear something funny? Kara says after a beat of silence. The others nod and Kara grins. “I flew a pride flag from the flag pole out front the school yesterday,” Kara says, grinning from ear-to-ear.

 

“That was you?!” Maggie says in equal disbelief and awe.

 

Kara nods, the huge grin still across her face. “Yup!”

 

“Not that I don’t love it – because I do – but why’d you do it?” Maggie says

 

Kara shrugs. “Felt like pissing a few people off I s’pose.”

 

Kara’s answer causes everyone to laugh. The lightness and carefree atmosphere in the circle lifts some of the pressure and pain everyone’s feeling. Like everything might just be okay.

 

* * *

 


	5. Chapter Five

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello folks!!
> 
> Did I say 'soon' in the last update? Well, by soon I meant a couple of hours. Here we are, the final chapter; how exciting! Big thanks for all the lovely comments and for taking the time to read what I've written. I do hope you've enjoyed the story thus far and that you like the ending. Thanks again!
> 
> Happy reading :)

 

* * *

 

The clock above the library doors now reads a little before four-thirty, meaning the girls have a little over half-an-hour left. As a way to lighten the grim mood in the library, especially after their conversation earlier, Sam wanders into one of the offices and places a record on the record player and switches it on; _We Are Not Alone_ starting to play through the library’s PA system.

 

Sam walks out of the office, bouncing her head along to the opening of the song. The others grin and slowly get up from their seats and join in. They dance around the library for the duration of the song. There’s a smile on all their faces as they move around freely, doing whatever feels natural to them in the moment. They’re all happy – actually happy – for the first time in a very long time.

 

Once the song dies down and the girls are left standing in the library in silence, they all burst out into a fit of laughter.

 

Eventually, though, Maggie realizes that she has to return to the storage cupboard. She climbs up and over the railings so she’s standing on the second level of the library, looking down at the four girls standing on the first floor.

 

“It’s been a pleasure, folks!” she says, saluting them and grinning before running off towards the hole in the ceiling where she fell through a couple of hours prior. The others wave and smile up at Maggie before she disappears through the roof.

 

With Maggie gone, the remaining four find themselves silently sitting on the railing as they patiently wait for the remaining half-hour of their detention to end.

 

“Was anyone actually going to write their essay?” Kara says.

 

“I can’t believe you still think one of us are going to,” Lena says, laughing lightly and nudging Kara’s shoulder with her own.

 

“Well, I just mean, probably better if we don’t piss Edge off any more today, right?” Kara says.

 

“I have an idea,” Sam says, sitting upright and grinning. “Give me fifteen minutes,” she says, pushing herself off the railing and moving to her desk. She sits down and starts writing.

 

Kara jumps off the railing and walks over to her desk to begin packing her belongings away, leaving Alex and Lena alone.

 

“You should go for it,” Alex says to Lena.

 

“Hmm?” Lena says, seemingly coming out of a daydream.

 

“You should go for it,” Alex repeats, “with my sister, I mean.”

 

Lena’s cheeks tinge the faintest shade of red and she tries to deflect Alex’s comment, but Alex persists.

 

“I don’t mean to be pushy or nosy, and I’m certainly no expert, but you like her,” Alex nods to Kara. “I didn’t see it earlier probably because I was repressing a lot of my own issues, and thought that ignoring everything that contradicted what I’d been conditioned to believe was easier than just… being true.”

 

Lena silently stares at the ground.

 

“Look, it’s scary, I get that, but if today has taught me anything, it’s that keeping everything in won’t do you any good; it’ll only hurt you in the long run. And sure, we’re only teenagers, so relationships and love are all unknown to us, but you like her,” Alex nods to Kara who’s now zipping up her bag, “and she likes you. And that’s what matters.”

 

A beat of silence passes.

 

“What’re you guys talkin’ about?” Kara says, boosting herself back up onto the railing so she’s sitting beside Lena.

 

“Just stuff,” Alex says before she jumps down.

 

“Where’re you going?” Kara says.

 

“I’ve got something I need to do,” Alex smiles softly. “I’ll be back.” She casts one last glance at Lena before she turns around and leaves the pair alone.

 

Lena doesn’t say anything. She continues to look at the floor, letting her brain process Alex’s words. It takes a few minutes, but with a slightly shaky hand, she reaches for Kara’s hand that’s resting on her knee. She looks up and smiles at Kara, who returns the smile in kind, before resting her head against Kara’s shoulder. Kara takes a leap this time and interlaces their fingers together, her smile only widening when Lena squeezes their joined hands.

 

* * *

 

Maggie sits in the storage cupboard on a stack of boxes and crates, staring a mop and bucket with disinterest as she waits for five o’clock to arrive. At the sound of the door unlocking and slowly opening, she sits upright and prepares herself for whatever Edge has to say. However, when she sees Alex standing in the door frame, she smiles and relaxes again.

 

“You lost?” Maggie says.

 

“Nope.” Alex kicks the door shut and returns Maggie’s smile. She walks up to Maggie and places her hands on her cheeks and looks into her eyes, waiting for either consent or rejection. What she gets instead is a playful smile from Maggie that tells her that it’s okay. So, Alex closes the already small gap between them and brushes her lips against Maggie’s.

 

It’s soft yet electrifying; everything Alex had been told a first kiss would be. And it makes her want to kick herself for trying to deny something this good for so long.

 

“And here I thought you weren’t interested in me,” Maggie jokes when they separate.

 

“Oh, hush,” Alex says, pulling Maggie in again and getting lost in the euphoria that fills her body and feeling of Maggie this close to her.

 

* * *

 

With their nine-hour detention over, the five girls walk through the halls and towards their freedom. Sam leads the group and there’s a smile on her face - each step she takes bringing her closer to her daughter. Maggie and Alex are a little behind her; their hands together and a subtle smile on Alex’s face. And, trailing behind the group is Kara and Lena, their arms linked together. Lena glances up at Kara smiles before resting her head on Kara’s shoulder; Kara smiles at this small gesture.

 

They pass J’onn on their way out and each offers him a smile and nod of their heads.

 

“See you next Saturday,” Maggie calls over her shoulder before she steps out into the cold.

 

Sam is the first to depart the group and quickly runs over to her mother’s car idling in the pickup/drop off lane. She tosses her bag in the front seat and pulls the back door open the greet her now awake daughter. Sam presses a kiss to Ruby’s head and smiles when she receives a happy gurgle. She climbs into the back seat and the car drives off.

 

Alex and Maggie are the next to separate. With a new found confidence, Alex presses a brief kiss to Maggie’s lips. She smiles when they separate, feeling liberation and complete peace for the first time in many years.

 

“I’ll see you ‘round,” Alex says quietly so only Maggie can hear. Alex turns her back and starts to walk off along the sidewalk, her smile never once faltering.

 

“Later, Danvers,” Maggie calls out, causing Alex to turn back around and wave before continuing on down the sidewalk. Maggie watches Alex’s retreating form for a moment until she too leaves.

 

Alex stops at the end of the block and waits for Kara, something she wouldn’t have done before today. She glances back to see Kara and Lena still talking, so she turns away to afford them some privacy.

 

Seeing her ride is fast approaching, Lena knows she only has a minute at the most to say goodbye to Kara. So, she grabs the edges of Kara’s jacket and pulls her down, connecting their lips in a kiss; it’s soft and chaste but it sends something through them… something permanent.

 

When they pull apart, they’re breathless and lean their foreheads together. Grins spread across their faces.

 

“See you on Monday?” Kara says.

 

A car horn breaks their moment and Lena glances to her left and sees that her ride is here. She looks back at Kara who’s patiently waiting for an answer. She smiles and presses another quick kiss to her lips.

 

“Monday,” Lena says, squeezing one of Kara’s hands before letting it drop and walking to the back door of the waiting car. She waves at Kara before she climbs in and the car drives off, leaving Kara alone on the sidewalk with a smile on her face and a tingle in her lips.

 

“Oi!” Alex shouts from the end of the path, pulling Kara’s attention away from the retreating car. “You coming or what?!”

 

Kara laughs and runs up to her sister. Alex smiles and nudges Kara’s shoulder with her own, which Kara’s quick to return with a smile of her own. They walk home together, albeit in silence, but closer together than when the day first began.

 

* * *

 

With the girls now gone and the school once again empty, Edge begins to pack up his belongings. He switches his office lights off and grabs his briefcase before wandering across the hall and into the library.

 

He reaches the rows of desks where the girls had been sitting for the day and his gaze falls to the lone piece of paper sitting on one of the desks. He sets his briefcase down, picks up the paper and begins to read…

 

* * *

 

_Dear Mr. Edge,_

_We accept the fact that we had to sacrifice a whole Saturday in detention for whatever it was we did wrong. But we think you’re crazy to make us write an essay telling you who we think we are. You see us as you want to see us: in the simplest terms, in the most convenient definitions._

_But what we found out is that each one of us is a lost cause… and an artist… and an outcast… a prodigy… and a delinquent._

_Does that answer your question?_

_Sincerely yours,_

_The Breakfast Club._

 

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fin~


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